A folded paper dart glides and loops through fluffy clouds, trailing a soft fading ribbon. Real paper airplane aerodynamics come from a shallow angle of attack on a flat or gently cambered wing, generating just enough lift to balance weight, while a dihedral angle (wings folded upward from the fuselage) provides passive roll stability so the plane self-corrects when it tips. A well-tuned paper dart can achieve a glide ratio of 3:1 to 5:1 — traveling 3-5 meters forward for every meter it drops — and drag grows with the square of airspeed, which is why gentle, well-aimed throws fly farther than hard ones. Banking into turns, as this dart does, trades some lift for a sideways turning force.